Skill Development Scam: Andhra Pradesh moves Supreme Court challenging bail to N Chandrababu Naidu

The Andhra Pradesh government has moved Supreme Court challenging the decision of the Andhra Pradesh High Court to grant bail to former Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu in the skill development program scam case..The government has contended that the High Court delved deep into facts of the case and rendered findings that were not only factually incorrect but which are also likely to prejudice the trial against Naidu.."It is pertinent to note that the practice of detailed elaboration of evidence in bail orders has been repeatedly deprecated by this Hon’ble Court," the State government added in its appeal. .The appeal further stated that the High Court "while professing not to conduct a mini-trial" ended up conducting "a trial of the allegations, the veracity of the contentions, the reliability of the documents placed by the Prosecution Agency and the evidence-worthiness of the same while seeking to rule on the plausibility of the allegations at the stage of grant of bail.".The development comes a day after the High Court allowed Naidu's plea for bail in the case. Before this, the Court had granted interim bail to Naidu for four weeks on medical grounds in an order dated October 31. .The investigation against Naidu involves allegations that government funds intended for a skill development project were diverted into various shell companies through fraudulent invoices, which did not correspond with the delivery of services.Naidu was arrested and later remanded to judicial custody in the matter on September 10.On September 22, the Andhra Pradesh High Court dismissed the a plea by the former Chief Minister to quash the case against him. Justice K Sreenivasa Reddy observed that the acts alleged against Naidu could not be said to be in good faith and in the discharge of his official duties as Chief Minister. Therefore, no prior approval from the competent authority was necessary for an investigation into the offences alleged, the High Court had held.An appeal against this verdict by Naidu has been reserved for judgment by the Supreme Court. Meanwhile, the High Court allowed Naidu's bail plea in the case yesterday, leading to the present appeal before the top court.